The Tourism Development Committee (CDT, on its Portuguese acronym) convened the first Plenary Meeting of 2025 today (15 July), presided over by Secretary for Economy and Finance and Committee Chairperson, Anton Tai Kin Ip. Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) presented the Office’s work progress in the first six months of 2025 and outlined major tasks in the second half of 2025. Various CDT members also proffered their valuable opinions and suggestions on how to steer the tourism development forward. 

Invest greater resources in fostering adequate economic diversification 

Secretary Anton Tai Kin Ip expressed that the SAR Government will invest greater resources in optimizing the industrial structure and implementing measures in accord with the “1 + 4” development strategy for adequate economic diversification to propel the development of the integrated tourism and leisure industries. The Government will be committed to building the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin in collaborative effort, engaging in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and strengthening exchange and collaboration with other Mainland provinces and municipalities. It will also strive to deepen international relations and play the role as an effective connector between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, delivering Macao’s unique function in the progress of the Country’s opening up to the world. 

At the meeting, MGTO presented an overview of Macao’s latest tourism situation and the Office’s major work plan for the second half of 2025, followed by a presentation of the research entity to elaborate on the progress of the second-phase review study on the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan with suggested amendments. 

Visitor arrivals from January to June 2025 surge 15% year on year

According to provisional figures, Macao registered 19.223 million visitor arrivals cumulatively from January to June 2025, which rose year on year by 15.0% and reached about 95% of the level of the corresponding period in 2019. In terms of international markets, Macao welcomed about 1.34 million international visitors between January and June 2025, a year-on-year rise of nearly 15%. Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia rank as the top three international visitor markets for Macao. The average hotel occupancy rate climbed up by 5.8 percentage points to 89.8% in the first six months of 2025. 

Colorful calendar of events in second half of 2025

Diverse marketing campaign boosts visitations 

For destination marketing, MGTO rolls out special offers tailored for international visitors on air tickets, cross-border transport services, hotel accommodation, dining and entertainment, while vigorously gearing up for sales promotions domestically and overseas. Plans are underway to organize the Macao Week in Wuhan, Hubei Province and stage mega roadshows in Lisbon (Portugal), Jakarta (Indonesia) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in the latter half of this year to diversify the range of visitor markets and stimulate visitors’ consumption. Furthermore, a variety of promotional initiatives tailored for different market segments are launched. In June, MGTO’s mega event “Enchanting Macao” brought together 200 popular Douyin vloggers from the Chinese mainland with 300 million followers in total. Following that, in the fourth quarter, the Office will organize Asia’s prestigious international influencer event, to brand Macao as a glamorous city spotlighted by influencers. 

MGTO is planning to unfold a series of spectacular events in the latter half of 2025 including the currently-held “2025 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao”, the 33rd Macao International Fireworks Display Contest, Macao International Light Festival (tentative title) and the 50th Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT). Besides, the Office will launch specialized subsidy programs for activities in communities while the Macao Grand Prix Museum will partner with an internationally-renowned motorsport tire brand to organize a special exhibition of racing tires.  

In preparation for the new law 

With the Law on the Operation of Travel Agencies and Tour Guide Profession to come into force on 1 February 2026, MGTO is forging ahead with various preparations and publicizing the new law among industry operators. In addition, the Office maintains close communication with other member cities of the Joint Regulatory Alliance of the Tourism Market of 9+2 Cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while conducting inspections upon the operations and establishments supervised and licensed by MGTO, to ensure visitors’ rights and quality of their travel experiences. 

Facilitate professional enhancement and service upgrade in tourism 

The Office has kept optimizing the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme since its launch in 2014. Besides refining the mechanism, the Office joins hands with the Consumer Council to launch the new Integrity Business Award under the collaboration between the Scheme and the Certified Shop Scheme this year. A variety of training opportunities are provided as well to support industry professionals to become better equipped, provide stellar services and operate their businesses with integrity, advancing Macao’s tourism development in concerted effort. 

Second-phase review study on Master Plan to release in the second half of 2025

Last year (2024), MGTO commissioned a research entity to conduct the second-phase review study on the implementation progress of the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan (referred to as the “Master Plan”). The review includes an analysis of the current tourism situation and trends in Macao after the pandemic, the implementation progress of the action plans between 2021 and 2024, as well as proposed timely adjustments and strategic plans in accord with the latest tourism landscape. 

Advance six major directions with new action plans 

The representatives of the research entity presented an informative update on the second-phase review study on the Master Plan, set for release in the latter half of this year. To promote sound and sustainable development of the integrated tourism and leisure industries in Macao, suggested amendments and new action plans and objectives were proposed with regard to the six major directions as follows: promote diversification of the leisure tourism industry, expand the diversity of visitor markets, deepen regional tourism integration, strive for sound and resilient tourism growth in steady progress, tourism product design and planning, as well as tourism innovation empowered by artificial intelligence (AI). 

Members offer suggestions to shape tourism’s better future

Various committee members raised opinions and suggestions on the following topics: invigorating the community economy through collaboration with IP characters or maritime resources; supporting transformation and upgrading of Zona Nova de Aterros do Porto Exterior; increase of transportation services in tourist districts; nighttime community economy and concert-driven economy; introducing more international events into Macao; extending the length of visitors’ stay in Macao; enhancing AI-related training; elevating Macao’s image as a travel destination and fostering the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a travel destination. The government representatives listened intently to the opinions and suggestions of CDT members, distilling collective wisdom that may steer Macao’s tourism development towards diversification and sustainability. 

The meeting attendees include Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lo Chi Fai, official representatives of the following governmental entities including Secretariat for Economy and Finance, Secretariat for Transport and Public Works, Macao Customs Service, Macao University of Tourism, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Labour Affairs Bureau, Economic and Technological Development Bureau, Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute, Municipal Affairs Bureau, Civil Aviation Authority and Consumer Council, along with representatives of Macao Light Rapid Transit Corporation, Limited, the integrated resort enterprises as well as the tourism and other related sectors.

Through the mechanism of CDT, MGTO will continuously collaborate with the travel trade in capitalizing on the Central Government’s preferential measures for Macao to deepen integration across “tourism +” and propel the development of the integrated tourism and leisure industries in line with the “1 + 4” development strategy for adequate economic diversification, reinforcing the city’s positioning as a world centre of tourism and leisure and Macao’s golden calling card as an international metropolis.